Child at CMs so afraid of dogs they can't go to the park anymore

[mowmylawn]

My daughter goes to a fantastic childminder who gets them outside every day, come rain or shine (unless it's dangerous, like lightning or very windy).

One of the children at the CMs is desperately afraid of pretty much every living thing. Today as I was walking up the drive I heard this little girl (3yo) having an absolute fit, like she was mortally wounded, I thought she must have fallen and injured herself.

It turns out a gnat/midge sort of thing had landed on her hand for a few seconds. She completely lost her shit. So imagine what this poor child is like around dogs! It's become so bad that on the days she's there (3 days a week) they can no longer go to the park because if she sees a dog, no matter how far away and even if on a lead, she goes beyond berserk and the CM has to spend the entire time trying to deal with her so she's not able to watch the younger children.

While I feel terrible for this little girl, now I'm a bit that my daughter is missing out on time in the park (the only place around us with enough space for her to run around freely, our garden has a steep slope). I am pregnant and have very severe SPD so walking is like a nightmare, and my husband works on Saturdays, so we can take her to the park on Sundays if the weather is nice. But just seems a shame that all the kids are missing out. I don't think it's my place to ask the CM to speak with the mother as I think the mother has a fear of dogs as well so that may be where she got this from, but the thing with the midge was just really bizarre (she said she thought it was going to eat her). Ugh, just venting, I really don't know what to do.

[BarbarianMum]

It's not your place to ask your CM to speak to another child's mother but it is your place to speak to your CM about your dd's time with her. So why not express your concerns - you want your dd to get out and about most days - and see what she says? It may be she has a plan for accustoming the little girl to the great outdoors, or it may be you need to find a new childminder. If you chat to her, you'll know what she is going to do and you can plan accordingly.